Good day! Today we've got Violet, a soothing and sweet plant which has two popular species that can be difficult to tell apart unless you know what you're looking for!
There is english or sweet violet with the Latin name Viola Odorata (more common in Europe), and common blue violet with the Latin name Viola Sororia (more common in North America).
How can you tell these two types of violet apart? A big difference between the two is the smell. Sweet violet has more of a sweet smell compared to common blue violet, which has a smell that is lot less fragrant. The color of the flowers can also be a way to tell the two apart - sweet violet can be purple-violet, white, pink, or yellow, and common blue violet can be violet, blue, white, or bicolor. Another thing to look for is leaf shape - the leaves of sweet violet will be 1-3 inches wide, rounded and darker green, while the leaves of common blue violet will be up to 5 inches wide and heart-shaped.
Sweet violet is more often used in perfumes and cooking since it has a more intense smell and a sweeter taste, but both are edible with a pleasant flavor and have similar medicinal uses. Violet has demulcent properties, meaning it can relieve inflammation and irritation by forming a protective film over mucous membranes. It has a history of being used to soothe dry, hacking coughs, and is a helpful aid for the immune and digestive system. Specifically, it can be used as a tonic to soothe chronically swollen lymph nodes. It's known as a slow and steady medicine, not a medicine that will give you a big immediate kick. Since it has cooling, soothing, and anti-inflammatory properties, violet can also be used topically as a salve or infused oil to help repair chafed or dry skin.
It's best prepared as an infusion with honey or syrup, or eaten in its raw form. I saw several sources saying that alcohol-based tinctures aren't the best way to extract the properties of this plant since the mucilage and minerals contained within the plant aren't extracted by alcohol.
Have a magical day!
Jenny
PLANT INGESTION WARNING!
As with all herbs and plants you plan to ingest, never ingest them before doing your own research and/or talking with your doctor - it’s possible that medications you take or health conditions you have could have a negative effect if paired with violet. Better safe than sorry!
Photo credit goes to Fritz Geller-Grimm